FERRERE assisted Montevideo team Club Atlético Peñarol, one of the country's strongest clubs, in the transfer of Guillermo Varela, a right-back for the under-20s team. The transfer was completed on 7 June for an undisclosed sum.

Manchester United was advised by UK firm Brabners LLP, while Guillermo Varela and his agent Pablo Bettancourt received counsel from Italian sports boutique Studio Elsa Avvocati Associati.

FERRERE, which has a dedicated sports practice, assisted Peñarol in both the legal and commercial aspects of the negotiations with Manchester United, particularly in laying down the rules governing the fee structure.

Varela is the first player to be signed by David Moyes, the new manager after Sir Alex Ferguson, whose tenure saw Manchester United list for the first time on the New York Stock Exchange, stepped down from his 27 year career at the club’s helm. Varela will not be the only Uruguayan playing in the Premier League - Luis Suárez and Sebastián Coates play for Liverpool, while Gastón Ramírez has been signed by Southampton.

Article published in Latin Lawyer on Friday, 5 July 2013.